Hint: Timeless is always in, but you might want to step up your color game! By Cameron Beall | Published on November 3, 2024 When it comes to home design trends, it can often feel like we’re constantly being kept on our toes and told to change this or that. It can be hard to follow the constant shift of what’s ‘in’ and ‘out’, but if there is one thing we Southerners know, it’s that timeless is always in—like the formal dining room which has made a resurgence in recent years. From paint colors and furniture trends to materials and floor plan layouts, here are ten home decor trends Southern interior designers say will be making an appearance in 2025.   Statement Rugs “More is more in design right now,” says Anna Still and Marguerite Johnson of Still Johnson in Birmingham, Alabama. “From wallpaper to upholstery and drapery, our clients are loving bold patterns and we expect this trend will extend to rugs in 2025.” The design duo notes their love especially for a dramatic geometric silk rug or one made from natural fibers woven in a pattern. “For our clients craving pattern, using a statement rug is an easy way to add personality to a room without starting over.” Color Drenching “Our clients can’t get enough bold color right now so we see more taking the plunge into color drenching,” says Still Johnson. “This is when we take one color and use it on the walls, upholstery, drapery and accessories. We keep it from being too stagnant by using different shades of the chosen color on each element.” Deco-Inspired Details Christine Carney, the Director of Design for Blackberry Farm Design in Walland, Tennessee, says details like hand- rubbed, moody Venetian plaster treatments on shower walls and ceilings, suede or parchment paneled walls, and stone-cased doorways and baseboards are making their way into 2025. “Deco inspired elegance never left but will continue to inspire,” she says. Pops of Red Have you heard of the unexpected red theory? While there’s nothing inherently new about incorporating hints of red into a room or outfit, the concept was more recently coined as ‘The Unexpected Red Theory’ on social media. “The trend says that using a pop of red, large or small, instantly makes a space look better and there must be something to the theory, so we look forward to seeing pops of red in interiors in the year to come,” says the Still Johnson design duo. Casual Dining Now, we’re not saying formal dining rooms are in or out, but rather the idea of making gathering together for a meal easier is becoming more of a focus. "We’ll see more designs that make sitting down and eating as a family a more casual everyday affair—like breakfast rooms and tables in kitchens in the place of islands,” says Atlanta designer Mallory Mathison. Honest Materials Wood, stone, and brick accents have always been a part of Southern home interiors and though trends have moved away from natural textures in more recent years, there is now a shift back towards artisanal materials and finishes. “Handmade tiles, oxidized metals, and richly grained woods are thoughtfully combined to create layered, tactile environments,” says designer Jen Stevens of Fonde Interiors in Dallas, Texas. “This celebration of honest materials moves away from synthetic imitations toward surfaces that age gracefully and tell a story through their patina.” The use of stone and raw materials will also extend beyond expected places. “Heavily patterned stone will continue to be the rage and mixing these exotic pieces in unconventional ways will definitely take center stage,” says Atlanta-based designer DuVäl Reynolds. "No longer will we only see this exclusively on countertops and fireplaces.” Unexpected Frame Colors Not ready to paint that wall? Consider swapping out a drab frame instead. “When clients are craving color, we don’t neglect the frames on artwork or photos!” says Still Johnson. “Choosing a colored frame is a surprising way to add character and pops of color to a home.” Leaning All-In on Color “People are really going for it more now than ever before when it comes to color—which I love seeing!” says Dallas, Texas, designer Lisa Henderson. “Color is a simple yet powerful way to personalize a space or freshen up a room (yes, even a pink sofa!).” Playing with Tones And for those who aren’t quite ready to embrace statement-making hues, there are other ways to lean more into color. Stevens notes the importance of saturation. “Color is being deployed with newfound confidence through a technique of tonal saturation,” she explains. “Single, sophisticated hues are applied across walls, trim, and architectural details, creating enveloping environments that feel both bold and serene. The monochromatic approach brings unexpected depth to spaces while maintaining architectural cohesion.” Reynolds foresees the base color palette trending towards ivory and wood tones then laying in color. “From this foundation I think we'll see deeper tones of blues, mahogany, browns, and greens,” he says. Dedicated Spaces “The notion of designated spaces has returned, marking a shift from the ubiquitous open plan,” explained Stevens. The designer notes this includes areas like secondary work kitchens, intimate seating nooks, and dedicated wellness areas. “It reflects a more nuanced approach to modern living. These purposeful spaces maintain visual connection while offering acoustic and functional separation when desired.” Read More with Southern Living HERE

How I Plan My Christmas Home Decor By Michael Wurm Jr. - inspiredbycharm.com   Ready to take your holiday home decor to the next level? Join me as I unveil my personal playbook for a cozy, magical Christmas. From trimming my trees to wrapping my presents I’m sharing all of my tips and tricks for how I get my home ready for Christmas. If you want to make your holiday home decorating easier and less stressful, this post is for you! The countdown to Christmas is officially on, and if you’re anything like me, you’re probably already daydreaming about how to sprinkle that festive magic all over your home. But, let’s be real—decking the halls can sometimes feel like climbing a mountain, especially when you’re not sure where to start. Don’t you worry, though; I’ve got you covered! This year, I’m taking you behind the scenes and spilling the (hot cocoa) beans on my holiday home decorating process. From the first bauble on the tree to that final ribbon on a present, I’m sharing everything I’ve learned over the years to make the decorating experience fun, easy, and oh-so-pretty. Now, grab a cozy blanket and your favorite warm drink, and let’s jump into some Christmas decor. Because honestly, the festive season is way too short to be stressing over tinsel and fairy lights! Want an even deeper dive? Sign-up for my FREE email series that will guide you through all my best steps for creating a magical Christmas and festive holiday season. Join HERE. TABLE OF CONTENTS hide 1 Christmas Idea and Recipe Resource List 2 Consider Your Color Palette 3 Plan Decor Themes 4 Christmas Decor and Theme Ideas 5 Wrapping Paper Plan 6 Take Inventory of Your Christmas Decor 7 Tree Decorating Tips 8 Just Start 9 Final Notes 10 Wrap Up: Merry Christmas! Christmas Idea and Recipe Resource List Before we get into this post, I also wanted to share this Christmas resource list. I have been blogging for 14 years and have dozens of helpful posts for you. I have put together a collection of the best be Decor 175+ Creative Christmas Ideas Cozy Christmas Decor Ideas The Ultimate Christmas Music Playlist How to add Ribbon to your Christmas Tree Creative DIY Gingerbread Decor Ideas 25+ Christmas Trees Decorating Ideas Vintage Christmas Decorations Recipes The Best Christmas Cocktail Recipes My Favorite Christmas Cookies Must- Make Christmas Appetizer Recipes The Season’s Best Cranberry Recipes Must-Try Gingerbread Recipes Before I get into details, please know that what I’m sharing is not a bunch of hard and fast “rules” I follow every year or the way things always unfold. Sometimes inspiration will strike mid-season and take me completely off course (for better or for worse!). However, in general, my Christmas decor planning process goes something like this. Consider Your Color Palette When I’m designing anything, nine times out of ten, the first thing I think about is color. This is the case when I’m planning a room design, party, or tablescape. However, when it comes to Christmas decor, thoughts of color and thoughts of my Christmas trees usually go hand-in-hand. This means that during the fall, I try to be especially open to inspiration that might help me come up with a color scheme. I know it may sound crazy, but I sort of have a conversation about this in my head. If you’ve been following IBC for a while, you might remember the year I was inspired by gradients and the colors of the rainbow. That led me to make this Rainbow Gradient Christmas Tree. Another year I LOVED a dress Adele wore at a live performance, and that inspired this gold and green tree. Last year I found green velvet chairs for my living room, which inspired me to go green. That decision prompted me to go mostly red in my family room. Plan Decor Themes In general, I try not to get too “themey.” But there are times when a loose “theme” can help with the decorating process. For example, I often go with reds in my family room. I choose that color because I used it in the space previous years, and I loved how it looked and wanted something similar this year. In 2022 I focused on a handmade holiday theme. I made my Christmas Tree ornaments (frosted clay mushrooms, rustic anise wreaths, embroidery hoop ornaments, clay christmas ornamants) and my tree garlands (popcorn garland, wallpaper paper chain). Another example is my living room decor from a few years ago. I had the theme of the Emerald City in mind. You wouldn’t think of the magical city in Oz when you looked at that room, but that’s what guided many of my decisions. I hope that makes sense. Having a color scheme or theme helps me resist all of the pretty distractions I find as I’m decorating. There are too many temptations this time of year, and if I want a cohesive look, I know I can’t have all of them at the same time in one place. Christmas Decor and Theme Ideas I thought it might be helpful to give you a look at how my past Christmas decor came together. (This was from 2020.) I no longer do full home tours as they always felt a bit overwhelming. Now when I share, I break things up room by room. Not only does that make thing easier for me, I hope it’s a bit easier for you to digest. With that being said, here are some notable links to give you a look at my most recent holiday decoration. Dining Room Decor (Gingerbread Tree) Entryway Christmas Decor Christmas Kitchen Decor Butler’s Pantry Decor (Vintage Santa Mug Collection) Living Room Christmas Tree (White, teal, and green.) Living Room Mantel Decor Christmas Ribbon Cabinet Red and White Christmas Tree (Mushroom Ornaments) Magical and Cozy Fireplace Decor My House at Night (Candlelight Tour) Wrapping Paper Plan Another area where a theme helps is in selecting wrapping paper. I realize this makes me sound like a loon, but here’s the deal. I like wrapping paper. I like it so much that I want it ALL. Having a theme lets me narrow my focus when I’m out shopping. It also helps to create a coordinated look under the tree. This might not be important to everyone, but for someone like me who takes lots of pictures of his home and wants an area to be aesthetically pleasing, it’s important. When I was in my apartment two years ago, I went with deep teal, gray, and white as my theme. Last Christmas I used mainly plaid/tartan and buffalo check papers. 💌 SAVE THIS POST / RECIPE! We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, I'll send you more inspiring ideas I think you'll love! Yes, it’s sort of weird, but it suits my sensibilities. Handmade Gift Tags In recent years I’ve also been trying to hand make a new gift tag every year. This matching my wrapping paper and the recipe of my Christmas decor. Some take a bit more time, others are quick printables. If you’d like to do the same, feel free to use a few of my ideas or download my free printables. Abstract Art Holiday Gift Tags – handmade North Pole Christmas Gift Tags – printable Plaid-Inspired Gift Tags – printable Vintage-Inspired Gift Tags – printable Christmas Bottle Tags – printable Take Inventory of Your Christmas Decor With those three things in the back of my mind, I take inventory of what I have. I store my Christmas items in totes in my attic. Before decorating begins, I bring down the totes and look at what I’m working with. Since I’m a blogger, I change my decor every year, so I have plenty of decorations in storage. After taking inventory, I pack up things I won’t need or use this year and then either donate them or put them back in the attic. This keeps me from feeling overwhelmed by all the stuff. As you can imagine, I do love shopping for holiday decor, so I also hit up some of my favorite places for holiday decor. They include but are not limited to: HomeGoods / TJ Maxx Crate and Barrel CB2 Balsam Hill Anthroplogie eBay Etsy Local Shops Antique Stores Tree Decorating Tips This section is slightly out of place in this post, but a number of you have been asking about this, so I wanted to include it. (I am going to try and put together a full post on this topic, but I wanted to give you some information right away.) As with the rest of my decor, when decorating my trees, I start with a general theme or color scheme. In recent years it’s been a color scheme. Once I have that, I review my inventory and start shopping, if needed. I check out the stores listed above and see what strikes me. (You can see a round-up of some of my past trees here if you need a little inspiration.) Once I have most of what I need, it’s time to trim the tree. The Order I Follow Set up and fluff tree. Add lights, if not pre-lit. (All of my current trees are pre-lit.) Add ribbon. (Please see my tutorial here.) Add large or heavy ornaments*. Add smaller ornaments*. String garlands. Add the tree topper. *Tips for Adding Ornaments For the most part, I use ornament hooks. My current favorites are these from Amazon. They are small so they disappear. I’m not a fan of decorative hooks because they tend to take attention away from the ornaments. I do wire heavy, delicate, or sentimental ornaments to the branch with floral wire. I like a layered look with ornaments, so I tuck some into the tree and hang some on the tips of branches. I use only glass ornaments. Just Start At this point, I’m always feeling slightly overwhelmed and freaking out a bit. As someone who puts his decor on display to the world via the internet, I’m prone to panic: “Is this the year I’m going to miss the mark? What if my ideas suck? What if my creative well has dried up?” When I start feeling this way, my go-to rule is: “Just Start.” I pick something I’m comfortable with or know is going to be a “win” for me and start there. This builds my confidence, and in no time I’m up and running! I still have my moments of doubt, but in general, it’s good from there. For example, I recently posted my Christmas Kitchen Tour. This was the first time I was decorating this space for the holidays, so the misgivings and fear of failure rolled in. It only took hanging two wreaths on the windows, and then the ball started rolling! The rest of the space came together pretty smoothly and without a lot of second-guessing. Another tip is to just try things. When I was decorating my kitchen, initially I had my Santa mug collection on shelves in the dining room. They looked good there. However, I decided to try them in my pantry, and that’s when the magic happened. They look fantastic in there! So try and try again until YOU love it! Final Notes I wanted to make a few more comments about my Christmas decor before wrapping things up. Most years I do not switch out furniture or paint walls as part of my holiday decorating. I limit my decor to seasonal items and soft goods such as pillows and throws. If you have sentimental ornaments or decorative items that don’t match your theme or color scheme, use them anyway. Treasure them. Family, friends, and memories are what’s most important during the holidays (and all through the year). This list is intended as a guide. You do not have to do any of these things to have a beautiful and happy holiday season. Do what works for you. My friend Kate of Centsational Style just wrote a brilliant post about this topic. If you’re feeling stressed, I encourage you to read it. Wrap Up: Merry Christmas! And that’s it, my friends. If I’ve missed something or you have questions, please leave them in the comments below. I’ll do my best to answer your questions and update this post as needed. Remember, the holiday season is all about warmth, love, and cherishing moments with our loved ones. While a beautifully decorated home can set the mood, it’s the laughter, memories, and the joy of being together that truly makes the season special. Looking for more Christmas decor and inspiration? Then check my Christmas page. It has everything you’ll need. I hope this information helps you create your happy place for the holidays! Want more from Inspired by Charm? Join the IBC Mailing List for inspiration in your inbox! Follow along on Instagram and TikTok for daily updates and behind-the-scenes looks at my processes. There’s even more inspiration on Facebook and Pinterest! 

  Tekila Mexican Cuisine is opening in the former Carrabba’s at 5110 Poplar Ave. in East Memphis, its sixth location. Tekila, doing business as GDL Poplar LLC, bought the 6,464-square-foot restaurant for $6.8 million, according to the Shelby County Assessor’s registrar.  People familiar with the restaurant said the concept could be an upscale steakhouse similar to the Tekila location at the Nineteenth Century Club building at 1433 Union Ave.  Read More Here!

Borrowing costs have fallen to their lowest level in more than a month. © seksan Mongkhonkhamsao - Moment/Getty Images The average rate for the 30-year fixed-rate mortgage dialed back to 6.69% this week, falling from 6.81% the previous week, Freddie Mac reported Thursday. It marks the lowest average in more than a month, and the drop was enough to push up mortgage application activity, a gauge of homebuying activity. “The responsiveness of prospective home buyers to even small changes in rates illustrates that affordability headwinds persist” in the housing market, says Sam Khater, Freddie Mac’s chief economist. Mortgage applications for home purchases jumped 6% in the latest week, the highest level since January, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The drop in mortgage rates, although modest, may be helping prospective buyers increase their purchasing power. “Rates in the mid-6s are more palatable than the near-7% of November,” says Jessica Lautz, deputy chief economist at the National Association of REALTORS®. At this week’s average, a monthly mortgage payment, assuming a 20% down payment, would be about $2,063 on a $400,000 home. With a 10% down payment, the monthly payment would average $2,321, Lautz says. The drop in rates also coincides with an uptick in housing inventory nationally, which may provide potential home buyers with “the chance in late fall to finally move off the sidelines,” Lautz adds. Nationwide, housing inventory is up nearly 20% compared to a year ago, according to NAR data, which can be attributed to recent upticks in home sales. Existing-home sales in October were up nearly 3% compared to a year earlier—the first annual gain since July 2021. Pending home sales, a gauge measuring contract signings for home purchases, were up more than 5% in October compared to a year earlier, according to NAR. Still, “there is a long way to go before there is enough housing inventory for the pent-up demand in the housing market,” Lautz says. “While there is a growth of existing homes, the inventory is still below February of 2020.” Freddie Mac reports the following averages in mortgage rates for the week ending Dec. 5: 30-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 6.69%, dropping from last week’s 6.81% average. A year ago, 30-year rates averaged 7.03%. 15-year fixed-rate mortgages: averaged 5.96%, also falling from last week when 15-year rates averaged 6.1%. Last year at this time, 15-year rates averaged 6.29%.